True Love Knows No Boundaries
by happychaos
Summary: Daine and Numair, a little after the events of the final book. Numair is having some second thoughts about his Daine's relationship,and she convinces him otherwise...please read and review! complete
1. exposition

True Love Knows No Boundaries  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^wow, this is interesting! I just finished this last Immortal book about five hours ago, and have been absolutely itching to write a fic. Here it is, I hope you all like it. Please review, I'll love you forever!!!! This story is a little after the fourth book. Daine and Numair haven't moved in together yet, and Numair is having second (third, fourth? How about fifth?) thoughts about being romantically involved with Daine. A little angsty, but, to quote Robert Burns, "A' wi' be well, aye, a' wi' be well, a' wi' be well and a manner a' things wi' be well!" Yeah, see if you can figure out what that says. :P Don't forget to review! Hey, look, wait..more author notes! Yeah, I posted this yesterday and then was notified of some mistakes I had to adjust! Yes, Numair is not twenty four years older than Daine, he is, close as I can figure, about sixteen years older ^^; sorry about that, I'm failing math for a reason! Anyway, this was supposed to be a stand alone fic, but people seem to want more (you like me! You really like me! -cries- ) so, what do you guys think should happen next? Tell me! Please read, and continue to review! It makes me so happy!*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
I should absolutely not be thinking about Daine the way I have been. It's pathetic, disgustingly pathetic. When did the girl, the sweet little girl I loved like a sister suddenly turn into a woman? A beautiful lovely woman, nonetheless? I sigh and rub at my eyes. Daine is asleep on my shoulder, arm thrown over my stomach. In sleep, she looks so peaceful, so young. So very, very young. I gently smooth an errant curl from her cheek, tucking it securely behind her ear. She's so innocent. Unjaded, untouched, completely vulnerable. The last trait brings a smile to my face; Daine, with her unseen armory of animal strength, not to mention her deadly accuracy with a bow, is anything but vulnerable.  
  
She moves closer to me, her leg curving over and in-between mine. She sighs and nestles her head under my chin. She is cold, I spread the blanket over us.  
  
We have not, ahem, excuse me.bound our love physically. We just like sleeping in the same bed, that's all. Sometimes I feel like I need her to breathe..her intelligence, her care, her eyes ears hair nose.her lips.  
  
I press my forefinger gently against those very lips now, feeling their softness under my callused finger. So soft.Daine is all softness.  
  
I curse myself. I shouldn't be doing this to her. I'm so, so much older. When she's thirty, still young and vital, I'll be forty-six. That's over the hill, and heading down the path. And when she's fifty, and oh, by Mithros she'll still be beautiful, I'll be sixty-four, and nearly a doddering old fool.  
  
I can't do that to her.I love her so much. I don't want her stuck with me, as a decrepit breathing husk. I realize now, seeing clearly in my misery. I've betrayed her, by loving her. I should've kept my silence, but, alas.I did not. I betrayed our very platonic relationship.our student teacher roles.she was like a friend, a sister, and I betrayed her. Oh, Goddess.  
  
Gently, oh so very gently so as not to wake the sleeping beauty, I slide out from under her. As soon as I am gone, she curls into a tight little ball, trying to retain the body warmth I just took. I spread another blanket over her, and kiss her head of smoky brown curls.  
  
"I'll be back soon, magelet"  
  
I throw my cloak around my shoulders and leave the room, my thoughts dark, and heart darker.  
  
*^*^  
  
Magelet. At first, the name annoyed me. I had barely known Numair when he had first given me the nickname, and I took it as a sign of disrespect. Later, I came to love it. It signified our closeness. We had a private joke; we were friends. After that, it confused me. Sometimes he said it with such tenderness, it broke my heart. But more often, it just showed me that to Numair, I would never be more than a student, a friend, a magelet.  
  
I think I loved Numair for a long time. I would not admit it to myself, I s'pose, because I thought there was no chance at all of him loving me as anything more than a student, a friend, a magelet. But I think I've always loved him, in my own fashion.  
  
He worries, I know. He's so afraid that one day I'll wake up and stop loving him, and see him as an old man. But I worry of the same thing. I am so young, and sometimes he still treats my as if I were a child. I hate it when he does that. What if, one day, when he is old and I am still not very, he sees how young and stupid I sometimes am? Won't he hate me? Will he think he's made a mistake? He's been gone for ten minutes now. I'm cold. He insists on having the door shut while we are together, to avoid gossip, but it robs my of the companions that usually keep me warm in bed. I sit up, and fold the blanket around me like a shawl. If he insists the door stays shut, I can insist he stay with me. I need warmth, after all.  
  
I pad gently outside, looking outside first to see if people are about. No one. I shut the door quickly and look around. Where is Numair?  
  
I walk down the hall, on the look out for my tall friend. I find him around the corner, standing on a balcony. Tears are forming in his dark eyes, but refusing to fall. I lay a hand on his shoulder timidly, suddenly unsure of whether or not I should disturb him.  
  
He turns rapidly, and grabs me up in a bone crunching hug. It's as if he's trying to mold me into him, a prospect, while not entirely unpleasing, seems to involve a lot a pain. He loosens his grip a fraction, but that width allows me to breathe. I can feel wetness on my scalp and I know he is crying.  
  
I move back a little ways and kiss him softly. He for a moment, but then pushes back. "No," he whispers. "Daine, I can't.I love you, but I can't." He runs a sleeve over his eyes. I am confused. "If you love me, Numair, what's wrong?" He gapes at me. "Can't you see? It's so wrong.Do you realize I am most likely going to die before you're hardly old? Did you think about that, Daine? It's best to end it now, before it goes too far." Tears slip out of my eyes, but anger flickers inside. Of all the stupid things.  
  
*^*^  
  
"Numair, how many times do I have to tell you that it does not matter to me? Let me say it again.It does not matter to me how old you are. She grabs his elbows, turning him to face her.  
  
"I" here she stops and kisses him soundly. "Love" She leans forward and kisses him again. "You" This time he meets her halfway, and her knees run weak, and she leans against him. They both would've fallen, save for the barrier Numair leans his lanky form against.  
  
"Are you sure?" he whispers, breathless, into her hair. She doesn't answer. Numair moved a little away from her, still holding her securely in his grip. "Daine?"  
  
She looks up into his eyes, stormy blue clashing with impossibly dark. "Numair, I love you. I love you I love I love you! Goddess, isn't it usually the man who needs to be saying that all the time?" This brings a laugh from her friend. "I love you, Daine." he says, straight into her face and then kisses her passionately. She loves him, oh, she loves him.  
  
"Let's go back to bed," she says, when they have paused for breath. He looks her up and down, appreciatively. "I've got something other than sleep in mind," he whispers seductively. Daine blushes and swats at him. "You may think so, but I'm tired, Master Mage. My rest was disturbed." He laughs again and gallantly offers his arm. "Allow me the pleasure of escorting you to your resting chamber, my lady." It's Daine's turn to laugh, and she does, heartily. She lopes her arm around his waist, and he settles his around hers. Nestling her head into his shoulder, they make their way back to Numair's rooms.  
  
"You know," he remarks as they enter. "It must be irritating, always having to go back to your room to gather your things. Why don't you just keep them here?" 


	2. rising action

True Love Knows No Boundaries  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^hello, hello, mes amis! There is a lot more this time, and another part will soon be on the way! I hope ^^; I've been rereading the Protector of the Small series today, with a notebook and writing down every time they mention Daine or Numair so I can get as much information as possible! It's tiring work, let me tell you! Well, I hope you enjoy, and please continue to review!*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"God pound you!" grunts Daine, heaving under the weight of her trunk. "Get over here and help me lift this thing!" Numair looks up from his perch on Daine's bed, where he had been lazily twirling some of her earrings around in mid air. "What, sweet?" She curses again and he laughs.  
  
"You're the one with the bright idea to move, so help me!" Numair waves his hand in the air, shaking from suppressed laughter as the black light surrounds the trunk and lifts it weightlessly into the air. Grumbling something about mages and their arrogance, Daine follows Numair out the door and down the hall. She pauses for a moment outside his- excuse me, their, door and fingers the lettering of Numair's name. Whipping out a quill, she scribbles her own name underneath. "Verilidaine Sarrasri" with a flourish she finishes and nods. Now it truly is home.  
  
Numair steps noiselessly behind her, scoops her up into his arms. Daine shrieks for a moment, about to grab the knife on her hilt when she realizes it's him. She cuffs him on the chest with both fists. "You frightened me ha' to death!"  
  
He grins, and she thinks his chin is about to split. "Isn't this what you're supposed to do, when you bring your girl home?" As proudly as she can while being held four feet in the air and her feet dangling, Daine sticks her chin into the air. "Pray tell, whoever said I'm yours, Master Mage?" The grin drops from his face; he becomes mock-serious. "Whoever wishes to challenge my claim can come straight-away!" Both laughing, they enter their newly shared dwelling. Numair handles her as if she were made of jewels, and Daine throws her arms around his neck, fingers tangled in his hair. He kisses her, once, gently, and then the door shuts. And the author considers this a good time to leave our friends, lest this story become less than appropriate.  
  
~some time later.~  
  
She lies gently on top of him, molded into his every crevice and curve. When he inhales, she rises. When he exhales, she falls. He's so much bigger than her, her head is tucked neatly under his chin and her feet rest neatly on his shins. As much as she'd love to stay here forever, away from the world where she was markedly different, stay tangled in the long limbs of her teacher-friend-love; she does have one question that needs asking.  
  
"Numair?" she whispers, almost timidly. He doesn't open his eyes, but his eyebrows knit together and he murmurs "Hmm?" "Do you think we ought to tell someone? I mean, about my being here and all." Numair opens one dark eye into a slit. "I suppose so." he sighs and tries to roll over, crushing Daine in the process. She gives a little yelp of protest and tries to shove him away before being flattened by the great mass that is Numair.  
  
Laughing he rolls back over and sits up. "Sorry, m'dear, I'm not used to having company in bed." Daine crosses her arms, indignant. "That's a downright lie and you know it!" His dark eyes twinkle mischievously. "Jealous, are we?" She rolls her eyes and stands up, beginning to dress. "Numair, do you think we should tell people? About us?"  
  
He stands as well, and washes his face. "Now that we're living together, it'll be hard to miss." he winces, making a face. "Ugh, there will be such a scandal!" Daine shrugs herself into a shirt. "Why? Teenagers sometimes marry forty-year-olds! Why would this-" she indicates the room, trying to encompass their relationship with a gesture. "Get so much attention?"  
  
"Because we're not married," he says shortly, lacing up his boots. "And we're both, let's say, well known. And then, of course, there's the fact that some think you're a-" he pauses, about to say bastard but letting the word go. "too young" he finishes weakly. Daine shrugs and crosses the room to join him. He tenderly pushes a curl back, away from her face. He bends down and kisses her cheek. "It won't matter. Let them say what they will." She smiles into his face, and reaching up a hand, tweaks his long nose. He groans as if exasperated and opens the door, ushering her out.  
  
"I'm off to tell Onua, I suppose. She's the one who brought me here" Numair makes a face. "I hope she doesn't hurt me.I'll tell Lindhall, if I can find him."  
  
"Good luck, magelet!" he mock salutes and begin sstiffly down the hall, running his fingers through his hair. Sighing, she goes to find Onua. Hopefully, the older woman will understand. 


	3. climax

True Love Knows No Boundaries  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^oh my goodness, I am so sorry! I got sick and my computer broke and then I had school issues.and then just plain ol' writer's block. Basically, nearly everything that could've impeded the progress of this story occurred. But look, here it is! Part Three! Ta-Da! I hope you all like it, and please continue to review. But, before we begin, I'd just like to thank Martini, who is a total sweetheart and whose encouragement is the reason this part is up. Thanks, Martini! Anyway, on with the show.*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Daine's first Tortallan friend is in the stables, talking with Stefan about the quality of oats the horses are getting. Onua grins briefly at Daine before giving her full attention back to the hostler. The horses whicker softly as Daine enters, and Cloud calls her over. The girl slips into her friend's stall and pats her gently. Cloud tugs at her sleeve, eyes wide.  
  
You smell like the stork man, she accuses, eyeing Daine teasingly. She blushes and doesn't answer, just continues to stroke her.  
  
Onua finishes talking to Stefan and Daine calls her over.  
  
"Ah, Onua." she begins, uncertainly. "Will you come look at the new ponies with me?" the K'mir asks, hand on Daine's forearm. "Certainly" stammers Daine, thrown off by the abrupt change of subject. They make their way outside, to where the ponies are.  
  
As they check them all for problems and as every last pony introduce itself to Daine, the girl attempts to say what she came to say.  
  
"Onua, I moved in with Numair today!" she blurts out, and then blushes. Onua continues cleaning the hoof of a strawberry roan. "Well, it's about time." Daine blinks, mouth agape. Onua glances up and chuckles. "It's been obvious for a while now, Daine. I was hoping you'd tell me soon, but I didn't want to say anything"  
  
When she regains control of her motor skills, Daine speaks. "How.how did you know?"  
  
Onua rolls her eyes. "Please. The way you two look at each other, you'd have to be an idiot not to notice." Seeing the stricken look on the younger woman's face, Onua smiles. "I've known Numair for a long time, Daine. I can see these things." Daine blinks, and then laughs herself. "Well, that was a lot easier than I expected it to be." Onua nods, and says "Hang on to that happiness, Daine. Love isn't always what it seems." She glances off into the distance, as if remembering something unpleasant, and for a moment shadows play across her tanned face. But then she smiles and teases, "Expecting any little Numair's any time soon?" Daine blushes and mutters some meaningless excuse, all but running away and leaving Onua cackling to herself in the field.  
  
As Daine walks through the hall, dreaming and glassy eyed, her old friend Perin the clerk leaps out at her from behind a wall.  
  
"Daine! Good to see you!" he all but yells in his usual jovial manner. Daine smiles weakly. He wraps his arm around her waist and she frowns, furrowing her eyebrows. Doesn't he know.? Daine rolls her eyes to herself. Of course he wouldn't, they only just got back and she and Numair had only told Onua as of now. She tries to shrug herself out of the grip of her first kiss, but he proves a wily foe.  
  
Several maids pass by, with baskets filled with laundry. Daine presses herself to the wall to make room, and Perin presses himself against her. When the way is clear, he doesn't move. Instead he leans one arm against the wall, near her shoulder and the other he places on her hip.  
  
"Perin-" she begins, but then he is kissing her passionately. Alternately revolted and amused, she pushes him away. "Perin-!" And again, with the kissing. Daine works her hands up to his chest, about to shove him off when-  
  
Numair swaggers around the corner, blushing and ducking his head while talking to Lindhall, who looks positively delighted. Numair glances up and stops dead in his tracks, color draining from his face. Daine's eyes widen until she looks like a deer caught in the glare of a lantern. Numair glares at her, and she sees the tears in his eyes. Slowly and deliberately, he turns his back on her and storms away. The message is clear; she is a betrayer and he will have no more of her.  
  
Perin, completely ignorant of recent events, continues trailing kisses down her neck. In her anger, she gives herself the arms of a bear and finally succeeds in getting him away. He crashes into the opposite wall, so hard that he sees stars. Perin swears at her and runs off, dizzily walking into servants and crashing into maids.  
  
Daine doesn't hear or see Perin; she's too much to occupied thinking of how the hell she's going to explain this to Numair.. 


	4. falling actionresolution

True Love Knows No Boundaries  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* hey, guys! I am so incredibly sorry this took so friggan' long, but I had a lot of.lets say "issues" going on! Here is the final installment of True Love.... I want to say thank you to Ms. Martini, because without her this story would have never got so far. So, thanks, Martini! And thanks to you all you guys for reading this, it really really meant a lot to me! Gods, I'm starting to sound like I'm getting an Oscar! Sorry ^^; well, please tell me what you think! Who knows, miracles happen. Maybe I'll write a sequel!.eventually. You guys are the best! Luv ya! happy~chaos *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
She goes to their rooms, so newly (just a few hours ago!) made theirs to share. The door is shut, and when Daine tries to open it, locked. She looks closely at the nameplate, where she had penned her own name under Numair's, to show this was her residence now as well. But Numair's name is gone.  
  
Daine pounds on the door, but there is no answer. She gets down on hands and knees, to see if there is enough room to slide under the crack if she turns into a mouse, or a gerbil. There isn't.  
  
"Where is Kitten when I need her?" Daine grumbles to herself. At a loss of what to do, Daine goes in search of the little blue dragon.  
  
She finds her in a corner of the kitchen, singing a lock of a pantry door. Pastries in untold numbers lay inside, but Daine will have none of that. She scoops the dragonet up in one arm and hurries back down the hallway.  
  
"Please, Kitten, open the door!" Daine begs. Kitten begrudgingly does so.  
  
Daine rushes into the room, in her haste forgetting even to thank the dragonet for her services. She looks around, amazed. Tears gather into her foggy blue eyes and she lifts a hand to suppress them but they run in little rivets down her knuckles.  
  
The room has been ransacked, as if Carthaki pirates had been plundering the castle. His clothes were flung about, the ones that weren't missing!  
  
Missing. She chokes back a sob. He's gone. All his books, his papers, even his quills are gone...It's too much. Daine sinks to her knees in agony, sobbing hysterically into one of his shirts, his scent still lingering in the fabric. Kitten curls around her and howls, expressing her own pain for Daine.  
  
Falling onto her hands, now lying almost prostrate on the floor in her grief, she feels a piece of parchment. Swiping a hand across her eyes, she hungrily, desperately reads the note.  
  
"Daine-" it says, but then dark stains blot out the rest, making it completely unlegible. Tear stains; but hers or Numair's? She can't make out any of it Except for three words in the middle:  
  
I loved you.  
  
Loved, as in past tense. Daine stands, wiping a sleeve over her eyes. This is all a big, stupid misunderstanding and she is absolutely not going to let an overexcited clerk get in the way of her true love.  
  
And really! She thinks, as she turns into a hawk to soar to Numair's castle (for that's surely where he's headed). Who does he think he is, just leaving like that! She would have at least stuck around to hear an explanation! Now more fuming than grieving, Daine leaves her clothes in a pile in Numair's (and hers!) room and goes as fast as her wings will carry her. To Numair.  
  
She spots him about five miles out of the town, galloping on Spots. A stormy _expression is on his beloved features, and she swears that even from here she can see the tears. Her heart goes to him, even while her mind is angry at him for abandoning her so quickly. She swoops down until she is right in his line of vision, causing him to stop lest Spots and her collide.  
  
"What do you want?" he asks, coldly, haughtily, while quickly wiping a hand over his eyes. She tries to gain perch on his shoulder, but to no avail. He turns just enough so she can't balance. That makes her mad. Right then and there, she changes back into human form, not even caring that she's stark naked. Maybe that will get his attention!  
  
She grabs his collar, yanking him down so his nose is almost touching her face.  
  
"Listen, you lout" she growls. "Perin was kissing me. I had nothing to do with it! You think I wanted to kiss him, while I have you?" Her tone softens as she sees the pain in his eyes flare up.  
  
"Daine," he whispers, voice cracking as he lifts a hand to her cheek. She jerks away.  
  
"It's nice to know how much faith you have in our relationship!" she says, now realizing her nakedness and turning red, crossing her arms in front of herself. "At least pretend that you're decent and give me a blanket! I came here to get you without a thought and you don't even give me clothes! Maybe I should've just stayed with Perin, eh?" Numair turns white. She's gone too far and she knows it.  
  
Numair mounts down and wraps his black cloak around her, fastening it gently around her neck. She catches his hand with hers and holds it tight.  
  
"I didn't mean that, Numair." She whispers. He avoids her gaze. She takes his chin in her hands, forcing him to look at her.  
  
"Listen. I was going to tell Perin that I had gone to live with you. Before I had a chance, he was on me. Really, Numair. You have to believe me, because it's the truth. I love you, and I would never do something like that. Never."  
  
He looks her in the eye, and she sees the extent of his adoration of her, and the pain he felt while she had 'betrayed' him. She understands, now, and he does as well.  
  
Slowly, bumbling as if it were their first time, Numair takes her hands in his own and kisses her. She sighs into him. It will be all right. Everything will be fine.  
  
When they break apart, both lover's eyes are dancing. He presses her to him, feeling every nuance and curve and she lets him handle her in this possessive way. She feels he needs to for a while, to prove to himself that she is really his.  
  
Daine dresses in one of Numair's shirts, practically long enough to be a decent dress on her, and starts a small camp fire. They eat dinner in companionable silence, both just trying to fill the void they had felt, while separated for such a short time. Afterwards they make love under the stars and Daine knows, from her forehead to the ends of her toes, that this is meant to be.  
  
It will be hard. They will face ridicule for their age difference, class difference, for them not being married. Gods, that alone will be scandalous. But that doesn't matter. Sighing, she nestles into his shoulder, and they both rise and fall, together forever.  
  
None of it matters. Their love is true and everyone knows true love knows no boundaries.  
  
~THE END~ 


End file.
